Posted on 01/13/2011 3:36:43 PM PST by wmfights
Jerusalem should be your favorite city! After all, it’s the city that God has chosen for Himself (1 Kings 11:13). In Psalm 87:2,3 we read, “The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.” Ancient maps put Jerusalem in the center of the world, and I think those maps are right! Jerusalem is also God’s timepiece. The final events of world history will culminate there with the glorious return of Jesus Christ to the Mount of Olives.
What about Jerusalem’s ancient past? In Genesis 22:2 the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on “Mount Moriah.” The only other passage where this name appears is 2 Chronicles 3:1 where we read, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah...” So, evidently Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah, which was the exact spot where the temple was later built in Jerusalem. When you look at the temple area today, remember this is where that dramatic event happened.
Jerusalem was a Jebusite city when Joshua came to conquer Canaan. But after David became king, he conquered the city and made it his capitol. Here briefly are five periods in Jerusalem’s fascinating history.
The First Temple Period (1000 - 586 BC)
Solomon, David’s son, built a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. We can only imagine what it looked like. Its glory was greater than anything that had ever been built in the ancient world. And we read, “It came about when the priests came from the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord” (1 Kings 8:10,11).
But after Solomon’s death the kingdom was split; Samaria became the capitol of the northern tribes. This city succumbed to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Thousands of captives were taken to Assyria and never heard from again.
In 586 B.C., the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, the southern kingdom. After three sieges, Solomon’s beautiful temple was totally destroyed. Many Jews were carried off to Babylon where they lived for seventy years. When the Persians later overthrew Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland. Jerusalem, however, lay in ruins.
The Second Temple Period (538 BC - 70 AD)
When the Jews returned from Babylon, a small temple was constructed where Solomon’s beautiful edifice stood. Many of the older men remembered Solomon’s temple and wept when they saw this smaller edifice. Zechariah the prophet encouraged them by asking, “For who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10). Incredibly, this smaller temple served the Jews for nearly five centuries.
In 19 B.C. the Roman ruler, King Herod proposed the idea of reconstructing a beautiful temple in Jerusalem. He promised the Jews that he would not tear down Zerubbabel’s temple, but build a new one over it. In effect, the building of the new one and the tearing down of the smaller one would happen simultaneously. Worship would not be interrupted. He also trained one thousand priests as masons so that no Gentiles would have to work in the sacred areas.
This beautiful structure was not yet finished when Jesus Christ was on earth. After cleansing the temple, the Jews asked that He give them a sign and Jesus answered, “`Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews therefore said. `It took forty years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:19-21). This temple had been under construction for forty-six years and was not yet completed. Though Herod was long since dead, work on the temple continued.
One day Jesus and His disciples were on the Mount of Olives overlooking the temple area. They noticed that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts. Christ explained, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down” (Luke 21:5,6). Thus Christ predicted that the second temple would be totally destroyed, and destroyed it was.
In 70 A.D. the Emperor Titus came to put down a revolt in Jerusalem, so he surrounded the city of Jerusalem and captured it. He starved the city. And when people would sneak out at night to find food or water, they were crucified until rows and rows of crosses stood outside the city walls. Jerusalem was then destroyed and the temple taken apart stone by stone. Christ’s prophecy was meticulously fulfilled.
The Gentile Era (70 AD - 1948)
Recall that Christ said, ...”And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all of the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Let’s take a tour of this Gentile period noting seven different eras that span nineteen centuries.
1. The Roman Period (70 - 33) The Romans brought their own people to repopulate the city.
2. The Byzantine Period (330 - 638) This is the period after Constantine (See chapter on Rome).
By the way, Constantine’s mother, Helena, made a trip to the holy land and established the various traditional sites regarding the life and ministry of Christ. Even today her identification of places such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are considered by some to be authentic. Various churches and fortifications can be seen dating back to the Byzantine Period with its unique architecture.
3. The First Muslim Period (638 - 1099) Mohammed began the religion of Islam and conquered the city of Jerusalem with the sword.
Today, Jerusalem is the third most holy site for this religion after Mecca and Medina. During this era, the Dome of the Rock was built, believed to be the place where Mohammed ascended into heaven. Just think, this beautiful building was constructed 1300 years ago and is still an architectural wonder!
4. The Crusader Period (1099-1187) Pope Urban II issued a decree saying that anyone who was willing to go to the holy land to liberate it from the Muslims would (1) be forgiven all sins: and (2) if unable to go, the same benefits would extend to those who contributed financially to send a substitute. Hordes of Europeans went to Jerusalem after the initial liberation. Today, crusader churches and walls still can be found throughout the land, all of them nearly a thousand years old.
5. The Later Muslim Period (1187-1517) Once again, the Muslims dominated the land of Israel for four long centuries.
6. The Turkish Period (1517-1917) The Ottoman Turks defeated the Muslims, and Suleiman ruled from Constantinople over the eastern wing of the Roman Empire. Under his reign, the present walls of the city of Jerusalem were built, nearly four hundred years ago.
7. The British Period (1917 - 1948) The British asked the United Nations to resolve the conflict surrounding the city and the land was given to the Jews in 1948. Jerusalem was divided up into four sectors - Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian. But in the war of 1967, the city fell to Israeli hands and the territory all the way to the Jordan River (known as the West Bank) became a part of the Israeli State. Many people believe that this ended the domination of the Gentiles which Christ spoke about. Recall that He said, “Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). This explains why some people think that Christ’s return may be near.
Jerusalem In The Future
The fourth period is still future. The battle of Armageddon will spill over to Jerusalem. Zechariah writes, “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city” (Zechariah 14:2). This then marks the great sorrow that will yet come to the city of Jerusalem as all the nations of the earth turn against the Jews.
After Armageddon, Jerusalem will experience exaltation. “Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem...” (14:3,4). Christ will come and defend His people; the Jews living at that time will look upon their Redeemer and recognize Him to be the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Then Jerusalem will enter what is know as the Millennial Kingdom, “...the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:3,4). After Judgment comes blessing.
The New Jerusalem
The fifth major era is when the earthly Jerusalem gives way to the New Jerusalem that comes from God out of heaven. This heavenly city is not so much an extension of the old, as it is a new substitute for all that has ever been known here on earth. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1,2).
Later we read, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal clear jasper (vv. 10,11).
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city” (22:14).
“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
no, the intitial forgiveness of sins is obtained thru Baptism, Acts 22:16 is just one of many proofs of that. this is why i ask why worry about Popes, when you don’t even understand from the Bible how sins are forgiven and how you are added to the Body of Christ.
don’t argue with me about priests being the instruments thru which God forgives sins, talk to Jesus about it, He gave them His authority. Here i thought you believed what the Bible says!
“we are all fallen, priests and popes included” ABSOLUTELY, agree 100%!!
LOL! Boy, that answer sounds familiar. Maybe you had better look them up, as the Donatists crime was simply that they would not accept traitorous priests who had turned them in to Roman authorities during the persecution under Diocletian.
I'm not arguing with you, I'm stating facts. I'm just not compelled to torture Biblical interpretations to justify my or anyone else's church, as you are.
... and Mary.
I thought this would be a waste of time. We've seen this so many times, no matter what historical record is presented it's never enough. As always I enjoy reading your thoughts roamer.
Donatists believed that in Baptism actual grace is received, it is not a useless act. They misunderstood the grace received from the sacrament comes from God and is not dependent on the faithfulness of the priest. They also believed in the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Real Presence in the Eucharist! In short, they were Catholic, except for this priest issue. St Augustine dealt with this heresy very well.
no, my Bible tells me she was “full of grace”
“my or anyone’s else’s church” er, you do know there is only One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church don’t you? Since there is only one Jesus, there can only be one Church.
Oh? I was under the impression that there were several physical churches in the Bible. There were even Epistles to the various churches, each of them having respective strengths and weaknesses.
Perhaps you mean the spiritual body of believers? The church of Rome certainly has no lock on that. If one were to ponder the writing of an epistle to the church of Rome today, how do you suppose it would read?
There are different physical locations where the faithful meet, but everyone belongs to the same Church, the Body of Christ on earth. All Catholics in the NT shared the same Faith, again there is only One Church. Peter and Paul did not go to Corinth and see a Methodist church or a Baptist church. The Epistles were written to local communities of people that shared the same Catholic Faith. I suppose an Epistle written today would say return to your first love, Jesus and don’t be afraid to proclaim Him as the way, the truth and the life! But since we are witnessing i am afraid the great falling away, the die is cast.
>>where do you get this stuff from?<<
The words I gave you are from Catholic literature my friend and they included the source. Deny all you wish but I used what those in the leadership of the RCC say.
you use what they say, not what they mean, see my post #173.
nothing new under the sun, some twisted Paul’s words in Apostolic times.
Scripture has not a shred of evidence to suggest that it is God's will or delight for us to ask graduated believers to pray for us.
Our other worldly focus from the Scriptural standpoint is to focus our attentions and our requests
ON GOD ALONE.
Of course, that's the
UNRUBBERIZED BIBLES OF most PRODDYS, that I'm referring to.
Worshipfully addicted to the INSTITUTION of The Vatican AIWSOTARM Rabid Clique RC's would have us believe that
Christ's instructions on prayer went something like this:
Ahhhhhhhhhhh
So if Mary was full of Grace in the
Vatican AIWSOTARM farcically proclaimed sense . . .
then John the Baptist must have been 200% full of grace given that none born of women were greater than he
according to CHRIST’S OWN WORDS.
Oh, that’s right,
in the Vatican AIWSOTARM’s rubberized ‘Bible’ and daffynitionary’s terms,
Christ must have misspoke
or
lied.
God have mercy.
What a pile of rotting, idolatrous, blasphemous tripe.
Below are the examples
of exalting other deities.
They are real.
They are serious.
They are owned,
operated in,
manifested in,
heart-felt wallowed in
by millions of Roman Catholics around the world.
Pretending otherwise does not change the facts.
White washing it with magicsterical diplospeak
doesn't change the facts.
Rationalizing it with 101 weasel words
doesn't change the facts.
.
.
.
Here's the title:
And it carries the official sanctions of:
ni•hil ob•stat
n.
1. Roman Catholic Church An attestation by a church censor that a book contains nothing damaging to faith or morals.
2. Official approval, especially of an artistic work.
WITH RICHARD CARDINAL CUSHING’S IMPRIMATUR
Let me track down the brief portion of quotes upthread . . .
Here they are:
However, as we've seen through a variety of sources--a pile of them in Ferraro's manual about the Rosary--the Roman Catholic et al/Vatican Edifice disagrees with a lot of the claims of RC's hereon to the contrary.
p.32
.
[Quixicated emphases below]
Mary is crowned Queen of heaven and earth, dispenser of all graces . . .
p32
4 - She became Queen of Purgatory, where she exercises her power as mediatrix in behalf of these suffering souls.
5 - She became Queen of us sinners, to assist us through the dangers of this life and to help us in difficulties.
6 - She became the ruler of hell, that trembles at her slightest gaze and is defeated by her power.
"Just as a rock extracted from earth will precipitate into the abyss, so will man, left without Mary's help, quickly slide toward hell." --Richard of St Victor
p37
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come; Thy kingdom come through Mary! --Partial Indulgence
p41
"Mary is the tree of life to those who grasp her, and he is happy who hold her fast." --Prov. 3:18
p43
1 - "Hail Mary, beloved daughter of the Father, Mother of the Divine Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, complement of the most august Trinity!"
p45
6 - To her was granted grace greater than that conferred upon all others, 'that she might vanquish sin in every respect.'
.
[Qx: I guess Christ's vanquishing sin was unnecessary--or ineffectual without Mary's assistance?]
p46
7 - "Mary is the dawn of God because, just as the dawn marks the end of darkness and the beginning of day, so Mary indicates the end of vices and the beginning of virtue."
.
[Qx: I guess Christ's conquering on The Cross and HIS conquering trip to hell were unncessary?]
9 - God loved Mary so much that He gave her the keys to His heart. 'No one can go to God without Mary drawing him.'
.
[Qx: I guess Holy Spirit has been relegated to a 'Walter Mitty' role as spouse of Mary? That's SOME POWER to cancel & take over HOLY SPIRIT'S role to draw men to God!]
p47
4 - "Mary, trusting in the word of the angel, destroyed the sin Eve committed by trusting in the serpent.'
.
[Qx: Evidently, she beat Christ to the job of vanquishing sin!]
5 - "She desired the safety of everyone, went in search of it, and obtained it; it was also through her that this salvation was wrought."
.
[QX: What an unnecessary waste of precious Blood and suffering on THE CROSS!!!/sar]
p47
10 - "As Noah's Ark saved all the animals that entered it, so Mary saves all the souls that entrust themselves to her care."
p50
8 - "If she were not so holy as she is, how could God appoint her to be the ladder of Paradise, the advocate of the world, meatrix between HIm and us?"
p50
4 - "By becoming Mother of God, Mary belongs to the order of hypostatic union; hence she participates IN the infinite sanctity of God."
Good job, bro.
I think it’s the
RCC
RATIONALIZING-WEASEL-WORD-JITTER-BUG DANCE.
Station #18 (REVISED VERSION)
OF THE
STATIONS OF THE WHITE HANKY.
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